ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS OF THE STATE OF CHIAPAS, MEXICO

Presently, the Mexican education system has reproduced ideologies of a capitalist production model that seeks to commercialize the planet's ecosystem services, causing a socio-environmental predicament. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) play an important role in environmental training to decrease the deterioration of ecosystems and to improve society's standard of living. This research was carried out during 2015 and 2016 in four HEIs of the state of Chiapas, combining quantitative and qualitative methods to make a diagnosis of the environmental education of university students registered in public institutions. Because results show that the students lack the abilities necessary to carry out changes that are favorable to the environment in their lifestyles, it is inferred that they have low environmental training, although the students show interest over environmental themes; however, the institutional education context and the faculty's interests operate as factors that polarize the enthusiasm of students.